Reconstruction of plantar heel defects with free gracilis musculocutaneous flap.

Abstract

Soft tissue defects of heel region are difficult to repair. The flaps taken from the nonweightbearing area of the sole produce good results. However, these flaps are limited in width and cannot always cover the large defects after excision of malignant tumors. The authors experienced two cases of plantar heel reconstruction with free gracilis musculocutaneous flap after wide excision of malignant skin tumors, and successfully covered the defects. The patients have been free of ulcer for 3 and 1.8 years respectively, after flap transfer. Free gracilis musculocutaneous flap should be added to the techniques for plantar heel reconstruction after wide excision of malignant skin tumors.